Buff-breasted
Button-quail

There are very few if any species in Australia that can rival the mystery and uncertainty of Buff-breasted Button-quail. For decades ornithologists have considered this species to be a rather rare irregular breeding visitor to the Wet Tropics region from further afield in Cape York Peninsula. It is thought to have an innate ability to sense observers in its environment and evade them at every turn, including every photography attempt. The team at RARES have been working on this species since 2018 and have made some startling and very concerning discoveries.  Most concerning was the discovery that the last confirmed record of this species dates back to the early egg and skin collecting days of William McLennan in the 1920’s. In almost 100 years our understanding of this species has stagnated to the point where we do not even know where a single population can be found.  

This research has focussed on (1) surveys to locate a population of Buff-breasted Button-quail and (2) ecological studies of the other two species of tropical savanna button-quail, Painted and Chestnut-backed Button-quail. We’ve also investigated the habitat and resource requirements of Painted and Chestnut-backed Button-quail, to better understand the button-quail group generally so we can make educated inferences of the ecology and threatening process of Buff-breasted Button-quail. Our understanding of the tropical savanna button-quail suggests the Buff-breasted Button-quail should still be extant and we are therefore strategically surveying areas of Cape York Peninsula accordingly.   

This research has received generous support from the Australian Wildlife Conservancy, National Environmental Science Program, Graham Harrington, Birds Queensland and the Conservation and Wildlife Research Trust.